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  1. III. RESEARCH DESIGN

III. RESEARCH DESIGN

In our research, we aimed to collect rich qualitative data well beyond the constrained responses available within a survey questionnaire. Our study asks individuals to elaborate not only on their attitudes toward privacy but on why they believe they and their associates have developed such attitudes. We conducted six focus groups to collect the privacy data. A priori, we hypothesized that the age of the respondents might often be an explanatory variable, and thus we structured the design to test that theory. Specifically, we conducted six focus groups, two groups for each of three age ranges.50 Each focus group was two hours long, and the median number of participants in each was seven. For most of the focus groups, all five of the authors participated,51 and we each led the discussion on different sections of

46 Fair Fin. Info. Practices Act: Hearing on S. 1928 Before the H. Subcomm. on Consumer Affairs of the Comm. on Banking, Hous., & Urban Affairs, 96th Cong. 480–82 (1980).

47 Id.

48 Id. at 576 (remarks of Dr. Alan F. Westin).

49 See Brooke Auxier et al., Americans and Privacy: Concerned, Confused and Feeling Lack of Control Over Their Personal Information, PEW RES. CTR. (Nov. 15, 2019), https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2019/11/15/americans-and-privacyconcerned-confused-and-feeling-lack-of-control-over-their-personal-information.

50 We used the following three age group classifications: “Young Adults,” aged approximately 18–30, “Middle Age,” aged approximately 31–65, and “Seniors,” aged 65 and older.

51 On occasion, one of the authors had to be absent (illness, work conflicts, etc.) from a focus group. Generally, though, all or most were present for every group session.

the interview schedule. A copy of our questions can be found in Appendix A.52

Our subject matter ranged over a large number of privacy matters, and we tried to balance adhering to the interview schedule with allowing discussions to flourish, even when they deviated somewhat from the questions at hand. Indeed, the inter-participant exchanges yielded some of our most intriguing results. After each of the focus groups, the authors individually wrote up the sessions, reporting on what the discussants said and reflecting on their comments. Synthesizing these focus group reports, comparing responses across the six groups, and discussing our conclusions as a research team yielded the data that we now review.

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